Should Boats Have Been Inspected Prior to Departure?
Their seats at the rear of the vessel, a location where most passengers find the boat ride to be smoother, placed Interiano and his family in grave danger. While investigators are yet to determine the source of the blast, Matura says that it is the responsibility of the Belize Ports Authority to inspect and sign off on the seaworthiness of the vessels.
Benisford Matura, Assistant Fire Chief
“We are still looking into what might be the ignition source. We are looking into a mechanism called the bilge pump. That’s a pump that trips in automatically once water is in the bottom of the boat; it automatically pumps out the water from the bottom of the boat. It is electrical, it has a switch that comes on and comes off, so we are looking at that and also at the fourth engine because it was when the fourth engine started the explosion happened. So we are looking at both of those to see which one might have a fault where a spark could have occurred that triggered off this fuel that was in the presence of fuel.”
Reporter
“Sir, was it that these children and their parents were in the closest proximity to where the blast happened, that’s why they got the most injuries?”
Benisford Matura
Benisford Matura
“Yes, it is exactly that. People have a tendency to go to sit at the back of the boat because that gives you the smoothest ride and unfortunately that’s where they were, in the backseat, and that was right next to the engine and right where the fumes had settled.”
Isani Cayetano
“I know that boating is more so a responsibility for the port authority, but in light of this tragedy is there any suggestion or recommendation from the fire department to avoid such recurrences, in terms of either passengers seated at that side of the boat or in terms of inspections to be made prior to departure?”
Benisford Matura
“I believe it comes with a joint effort with the port authority and us. We have to start looking at more regular inspections by the port authority of these boats. When fueling that proper procedure and precaution is taken when fueling these boats.”
